Steve Masiello to pull double-duty as St. John’s men’s basketball general manager and associate head coach

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 14: Assistant coach Steve Masiello of the St. John's Red Storm signals to his players during the semifinal game against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the Big East Men's Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Since the transfer portal wound down earlier this summer, St. John’s was hoping to land a full-time replacement for interim general manager Tom Ostrom. Instead, they are now looking toward its top assistant to wear more than one hat.

According to Adam Zagoria, associate head coach Steve Masiello will assume general manager duties while remaining in his coaching role .

St. John’s is also looking to hire an assistant to replace Greg Youncofski, who took a position on Richard Pitino’s staff at Xavier this offseason, and they are pursuing someone with a strong connection to head coach Rick Pitino. Zagoria also reported that the Red Storm are interested in hiring current Louisville assistant Peyton Siva, who played four seasons with the Cardinals under Pitino and won a National Championship in 2013. Siva has worked on Pat Kelsey’s staff for the last two seasons, helping his alma mater reach two consecutive NCAA tournaments. It remains unclear if Siva shares mutual interest in joining the Red Storm’s staff or if the Cardinals would be willing to part ways with their star-turned-coach.

Masiello — himself, a former Louisville assistant who also mentored Siva — is entering his fourth season on Pitino’s coaching staff and will become the Red Storm’s third general manager in the calendar year.

He replaces Tom Ostrom, a longtime assistant in the sport reputed for his recruiting ability who assumed general managerial duties on an interim basis in March following Matt Abdelmassih’s dismissal from the program early this year.

Ostrom oversaw the construction of this upcoming season’s roster, which includes stellar Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou and a small army of skilled international veterans such as Quinn Ellis, Babacar Sane, and Djordije Jovanovic. Last month, Rick Pitino announced on social media that Ostrom was departing his position .

While taking on multiple positions is a daunting task, Masiello already has a track record in building successful squads. Last season, he played an instrumental role in assembling the nation’s best transfer class that was highlighted by eventual NBA draft picks Dillon Mitchell and Bryce Hopkins. That class helped the Johnnies claim the Big East regular season and tournament titles for a second consecutive year, as well as its first Sweet Sixteen trip since 1999.

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